According to the Walking In Memphis Songfacts, Cohn was discovered by Carly Simon in the mid-'80s when he was with a 14-piece band called The Supreme Court. Atlantic Records signed him in 1989, but the first attempts to record his debut album with Tracy Chapman 's producer David Kerschenbaum failed. Ten months later, he tried again, producing the set himself with help from the little-known Ben Wisch, who had helped him with his demos. Finally released in 1991 when Cohn was 31 years old, his self-titled debut album was a huge hit, thanks to the massive success of "Walking In Memphis." Cohn won the 1991 Grammy for Best New Artist award, beating out both Boyz II Men and Seal. Cohn never matched the chart success of this song, but like his musical heroes Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne , he remained a critical and artistic success as a songwriter and performer.
He has issued two other studio albums to date, The Rainy Season (1993) and Burning the Daze (1998), both on Atlantic Records. A self-released live compilation, Live 04-05 (2005), is being sold at concerts on his current tour.
He is the most famous graduate of Beachwood High School in Beachwood, Ohio, a Cleveland suburb. He attended Oberlin College as well. In addition, Cohn is notably married to ABC News journalist Elizabeth Vargas whom he met at the 1999 US Open after being introduced by Andre Agassi. Cohn and Vargas have two sons: Zachary Raphael (born on January 31, 2003) and Samuel Wyatt (born on August 16, 2006). Cohn has two other children— Max and Emily—from a previous marriage.
On August 7, 2005, Cohn was shot in the head during an attempted carjacking, following a concert with Suzanne Vega in Denver, Colorado. He was hospitalized and released the next day. The remaining concerts on the tour were cancelled.
Cohn released The Very Best Of Marc Cohn in June 2006, and his 4th studio album, Join The Parade, was released on October 9, 2007. He continues to tour to this day. For photographs and additional information visit Marc's official website, www.MarcCohn.net.
29 Ways
Marc Cohn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got 29 ways to make it to my baby's door
And if she needs me bad
I can find about two or three more
I got one through the basement
Two down the hall
And when the going gets tough
29 ways just to make it to my baby's door
And if she needs me bad
I can find about two or three more
I can come through the chimney like Santa Claus
Go through the window and that ain't all
A lot of good ways I don't want you to know
I even got a hole in the bedroom floor
29 ways to make it to my baby's door
If she needs me bad
I can find about two or three more
I got a way through the closet behind her clothes
A way through the attic that no one knows
A master key that fits every lock
A hidden door behind the grandfather clock
I got 29 ways to make it to my baby's door
And if she needs me bad
I can find about two or three more
The song "29 Ways" by Marc Cohn is a playful and catchy song about a man's determination to reach his beloved no matter what obstacles lie in his way. The lyrics suggest that the man has come up with 29 different ways to make it to his baby's door, and if she needs him badly enough, he can find a few more. The song is written in a fun, upbeat tempo and the melody mimics the quirkiness of the lyrics, making it a playful and entertaining piece of music.
The song opens with the man singing, "I got 29 ways to make it to my baby's door." He then goes on to list a number of unconventional ways to reach his love, including going through the basement, down the hall, and even through a hole in the wall. He suggests that he can come through the chimney like Santa Claus, or even go through the window. The singer then reveals that he has even more creative solutions that he doesn't want to share, including a hole in the bedroom floor.
The playful nature of the song is undeniable, but it also hints at an underlying desire that drives the man to such creative lengths to reach his love. The song implies that he will stop at nothing to be near her, which suggests that his love for her is very strong. Overall, "29 Ways" is a fun and lighthearted tune that showcases Marc Cohn's ability to craft a catchy melody with playful and creative lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
I got 29 ways to make it to my baby's door
I have many unconventional methods to reach my lover's place.
And if she needs me bad
In case my partner needs me desperately,
I can find about two or three more
I could come up with two or three new methods to reach my partner's place.
I got one through the basement
I have an entryway through the basement of her residence.
Two down the hall
Two ways, walking down the hall to my lover's place.
And when the going gets tough
When the situation becomes problematic or challenging,
I got a hole in the wall
I have a concealed hole in the wall to get in.
I can come through the chimney like Santa Claus
I have the ability to slide through the chimney in the way Santa Claus does.
Go through the window and that ain't all
I could also use windows to enter her residence or use other unheard of techniques.
A lot of good ways I don't want you to know
I have kept a lot of foolproof methods to myself, which I wouldn't want others to discover.
I even got a hole in the bedroom floor
I have a secret way to enter the lover's residence, which I haven't disclosed to anyone. This entrance is possibly via the bedroom floor.
I got a way through the closet behind her clothes
I have a passage that leads through her closet, behind her garments.
A way through the attic that no one knows
There is an unexplored path to enter her house through the attic, which is unknown to any other individual.
A master key that fits every lock
I have a master key that can unlock any lock present at her residence.
A hidden door behind the grandfather clock
Another way to enter her house is through a hidden door behind the grandfather clock.
I got 29 ways to make it to my baby's door
There are many unique ways to reach my love's door, and I have them all.
If she needs me bad
If my partner requires my presence urgently,
I can find about two or three more
I can come up with two or three additional ways to reach her door.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: WILLIE DIXON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind